Randy Wray’s Blog

We had a visitor in church a couple of weeks ago who walked up to me and said, “So, you actually admit to being a friend of Danny Mann.” Since he was not holding any sort of weapon in his hand I said “yes.” He told me about looking at our church website and seeing the link to my blog where he read the article last week from Danny. We talked about how we both had met Danny and how long we had known him. I’m still waiting for the blackmail material.

While we wait, a second installment from my friend Danny Mann:

The Handbook for Broken World Living, The SURPRISE! Factor

From Last Week - As God was describing the consequences of their sin, he said, “Adam and Eve, your sin has broken the world.” That which had been perfect was perfect no longer. Where there had been health, there would be disease. Where there had been life, there would be death. What a terrible, awesome thought - Sin broke the world.

I make my bed every day. That’s right. Every day. Even on weekends. Even on holidays. Yes, I know I’m going to crawl back into it every night, but still – I make it every day. I take a little ribbing for it. A few of my friends give me a hard time when they walk in and see a neat, tidy made bed. They never make their beds. “Why bother?” they say. “You’re just going to mess it up again in a few hours. What a waste of time, making your bed every day!”

I have my reasons. I’m not a neat-nick. My office is a mess. But I am a little bit of a control freak. Not obsessive-compulsive – but, yeah, a little bit of a control freak. If you admit it, so are you. It’s part of being a good American.

There’s a major problem with being control freaks. The problem is this - we have little to no control over most of what happens around us. If you haven’t come to terms with this yet, you probably spend much of your day frustrated and angry. Everywhere you turn, everywhere you go, things are happening that are completely beyond your influence. And for a control freak, it can be maddening.

You’re late to an important appointment because you had to stop for the train. Frustration. You miss the good parking spot because the bozo in the other car cut you off. Anger. Your husband went from perfect to pitiful the moment the honeymoon was over. Disappointment. The diagnosis came back and it wasn’t good. Fear. And the list goes on and on. It’s tough to be a control freak in a world that’s beyond control, in a world that’s beautiful but broken.

Today’s hint from The Handbook for Broken World Living is this: Realistic expectations reduce the SURPRISE! factor.

Control freaks hate surprises. Late because of the train? SURPRISE! Missed the good parking place? SURPRISE! Husband’s not perfect? SURPRISE! Me, get sick? SURPRISE!

In a broken world, a world that isn’t working like it was meant to work, it’s just one surprise after another. The hits just keep on comin’!

We usually don’t think of the trials and struggles of life as surprises, but that’s exactly what they are. Because our expectations aren’t realistic, because on some level, we believe we’ll be on time, we deserve the best parking place, we made the perfect choice for a spouse, if we eat right, exercise, and floss between meals, everything will work out just the way we want it to work out. Are those unrealistic expectations or what?

Jesus was perfectly clear and hauntingly honest when he said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Did you catch that? In this world you WILL have trouble. SURPRISE! But what if, when you leave the house everyday, you adjust your expectations to the reality of broken world living. What if your daily prayer is, “I pray things go as planned with positive results. If they don’t, I pray for the grace and peace to respond in a peaceful, productive way.”

If you pray that prayer, you’ll greatly reduce the SURPRISE! factor. Your blood pressure might go down and you might turn out to be a nicer, happier person.

Oh, I almost forgot – so why do I make my bed every day? Because it’s one of the few things I can control. When I walk out the door and start my day, chaos is waiting. It’s part of broken world living. While I have to deal with chaos in the world, I don’t have to come home to it. So, I make my bed.

Adjust your expectations. Make your bed. Your SURPRISE factor will go down and “The peace that transcends understanding” (Philippians 4:7) will start to take hold in your heart.

Good thoughts from Danny. I hope you were encouraged. Have a good weekend.